Apparatus for drawing tabs from addressograph plate carriers



Oct. 1, 1935. c. A. TOWNE 2,016,101

APPARATUS FOR DRAWING TABS FROM ADDRESSOGR-APH PLATE CARRIERS Filed March 26, 1954 Patented Oct. 1, 1935 PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR DRAWING TABS FROM ADDRESSOGRAPH PLATE CARRIERS Charles A. Towne, Des Moines, Iowa Application March 26, 1934, Serial No. 717,414 6 Claims. (01. 101-1) This invention relates to the removal of the identification tabs which are detachably supported on addressograph plate carriers. moval of these tabs has heretofore been done by means of a small pair of pliers which is held by the operators hand, the addressograph plate carrier being supported in one hand, while the pliers are supported in the other hand, the pliers being applied to the tab and removed by gripping the tab and then drawing the same outwardly from the carrier frame. This requires a considerable amount of time and a considerable amount of energy as the tabs are quite firmly secured to the carrier frame.

It is, therefore, the object of my invention to provide an improved apparatus wherein the tabs may be more easily and quickly removed from the carrier frame. More specifically, it is the object of my invention to provide a supporting base having a suitable table on which the addressograph plate may be supported and in connection therewith, lever actuated jaw mechanism which will first grip the outwardly projecting end of the tab and then withdraw the tab from its holder in a single movement or operation of the lever.

A further object is to provide, in an apparatus of the class above referred to, a supporting table aving an adjustable guide whereby a given tab may be easily and quickly placed in proper position in the jaw mechanism.

A further object is to provide, in an apparatus of the class above referred to, means for automatically and quickly moving the jaw members to their normal position whereby the tab withdrawn fro-m the carrier may be automatically ejected from the jaws and delivered to a suitable container.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of my improved apparatus showing the manner in which the addressograph carrier frame is supported on the table provided for the same, and the manner in which the tab is supported in the clamping device for withdrawing the same.

Figure 2 is also a longitudinal vertical sectional view showing the manner in which the tab is withdrawn from the carrier frame.

Figure 3 is a front end view of my improved ap- The reparatus, a portion of the base and supporting table being broken away.

Figure 4 shows a segmental portion of the rear end of the base.

Figure 5 is a bottom View of the addressograph 5 plate carrier frame showing the manner in which the tabs are supported therein.

I have used the reference numeral Ill to indicate in a general way the base portion of my improved apparatus, the rear end of the base member comprising a plate ll having a recess I2 for receiving an extensible coil spring l3. The forward end of the base member in is in the form of a supporting table M, having downwardly extending side flanges I 5. The central portion of the member 14 is provided with a groove or slot 16, the edges of which terminate in downwardly extending wall portions ll, so as to form a channel l8 to which the discharged tabs may be ejected.

Supported on top of the base member I I is a body member I Bhaving a longitudinal slot l9 in its under surface, the lower edge of which terminates in rabbets 20, so that a dove-tailed groove 2| is formed when the member I8 is supported on the base member ll.

Slidably mounted in the groove 2| is a bar 22 having flanges 23 for resting in the rabbet portions 20, the forward end of the bar 22 being provided with a downwardly extending portion 24 designed to be engaged by the forward end of the spring I3.

A stop pin 25 is carried by the forward end of the member I l to limit the forward movement of the said bar 22. The top edge of the bar 22 is preferably provided with a transversely arranged dove-tailed groove 26. Supported on top of the bar 22 I have provided a bar 21 designed to move in the slot IS, the back end of the under. face of the bar 21 being provided with a dove-tailed lug 4 28 designed to rest in the groove 26, the lug 28 being slightly smaller than said groove so as to permit the forward end of the bar 21 to be elevated and lowered slightly. I have provided a spring 29 in the upper surface of the forward end of the bar 22 to normally support the forward end of the bar 21 in an elevated position. The under surface of the forward end of the bar 21 is formed with a jaw member 30, having its under surface slightly inclined downwardly and forwardly, the upper surface of the forward end of the bar 22 being provided with an inclined surface 3| to form a jaw member to co-act with the jaw member 30.

The body I 8 is also provided with a pair of forwardly extending lugs 32 to provide a support for a pin 33 on which is mounted a lever 34, said lever being carried between said supports and having a downwardly extending portion 35 designed to engage an upwardly extending lug 36 carried by the upper surface of the bar 21, the lug 35 also terminating in a laterally extending grooved portion 31 designed to engage a lug 38 carried by a pawl-39, the pawl 39 being carried by a pin 48 and having its under surface provided with a shoulder 4| for engaging the upper corner of the forward end of the bar 21 when said bar is at itsrearward position movement, and for locking the bar against forward movement.

The table I4 is provided with a slot 42 for re- 1 ceiving a bolt 43 by means of which a guide device 44 is adjustably carried by the. table. g

In Figure I have illustrated in a general way the addressograph plate carrier frame -45,-one edge of the under surface of the plate having a to receive the opening 41 formed in the forward end of the identification tab 48, the tabs being held against lateral movement by means of a framework 49 which is pressed from the body of the member 45, the frame member 49 being so arranged as to'firmly support the tab against the bottom surface of the frame'member'45, while the opening 41 is yieldably supported over'the lug 46, thus providing means whereby the tab is yieldably supported in the channel portions 5ll'of the frame member 49. These tabs 48 have been heretofore removedby means" of plier s in the manner'before described, simply by gripping the free end of the member 48 and drawing the tab outwardly and longitudinally from the channels 58. i

The operation of my device is as follows: Assuming that the guide 44 has'been set so that when the carrier frame 45 is placed on the table [4 the manner illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, with one end of the said frame against the guide44 and its rear edge against the forward ends of the upright members 32, so that the desired tab 48 will rest in position between the jaw members 38 and 3| in the manner'illustrated in Figure l, the operator'the n grasps the handle member 34 and moves the free end of said handle downwardly, which will first cause the forward end of the bar 21 to be lowered by means of the lower edge of the member 31, which is in the form of a cam face, causing the jaw member 30 to engagethe tab'48, whichin turn will'be forced downwardly against the jaw member 31. 'The tab will then be bent to conform to the inclined portions of the said jaw members. Further downward movement of the free end of the lever 34 will cause the back end of the lug 35 to engage the lugte; after which the bars 22 and 21 will be moved rearwardly, causing the tab 48 to be withdrawn fromthe frame member 49 and from the pin 46, and finally to the position illustrated in Figure 2 in which the tab assumes" a general downwardly and forwardly inclined position. The shoulder 4| and the pawl 39 will then engage the forward end of the bar '21 and lock the said bar in its rearward position movement as illustrated in Figure 2. The free end of the lever'is then elevated until the forward end of the member 3'! engages the lug 38 of the'pawl 39, .which will then cause the lug 41 to disengage the bar Zl, after which the spring l2 will cause the said bars 22 and 21 to be moved rearwardly veryrapidly, the spring 29 serving. at the same time to elevate the forward end of the bar 21 and series of downwardly'extending lugs 46 adapted to release the tab 48. By this arrangement the tab 48 will be ejected rearwardly and below the carrier frame 45 into the channel I8. A suitable receptacle can be provided for receiving the tabs. 5

It will readily be seen that the lever 34 may be either actuated manually or by means of a'motor driven apparatus without departing from the spirit of my invention. It will, therefore, be seen that I have provided an apparatus for removing tabs from the plate carrier frame in such a-manner that the operation may be easily, quickly and conveniently performed.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, the cornbination of abase including a table for support-- i ing an addressograph plate carrier having a series -of identification tabsprojecting outwardly from one of its edges, means for'clamping the projecting end of one of said tabs and withdrawing the same from said frame, said means comprising a slide bar having a jaw element at one end, a second slide bar having one end pivoted to-the corresponding end of the first bar and its other end provided with a jaw member adapted to co-act with the first jaw member, means for moving said jaw members to a clamping position to engage a tab and for moving said jaw members longitudinally of said tab to withdraw the same from its supporting frame. 1 2; In a device of the class described, the combination of a base including a table for supporting an addressograph plate carrier having a series of identification tabs projecting outwardly from one 'of its edges, means for clampmg the projecting end of one of said'tabs and withdrawing the same from'said frame, said means comprising a slide bar having a jaw element at one end, a second slide bar having one end pivoted to the corresponding end of the 46? first bar and its other end provided with a jaw member adapted to co-act with the first jaw' member, means for "moving said jaw members to a clamping positionto engage atab and for moving said jaw members longitudinally of said 5" tab to withdraw the same from its supporting frame.

3. In a device ofthe class described, the combination of a base including a table for supporting an addressograph pla-te carrier having a series 6 of detachably supported identification tabs projecting outwardly from one of its edges, means for withdrawing one of said tabs, said means comprising a pair of jaw members adapted to grip the projecting end of said tab between them, the gripping faces of said jaw members being supported in a plane inclined relative to the plane in which the body of the carrier frame is supported, means for moving said jaw members to a closed gripping position, means for mov- 6 ing the jaw members longitudinally of the tab to withdraw the same from its supporting frame, means for separating the jaw members after a tab has been withdrawn, and means for suddenly returning the jaw members to their normal position of movement whereby the tab will be ejected at a comparatively high rate of speed to a position beneath the plate carrier frame.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base including a table for support- 76 ing an addressograph plate carrier having a series of detachably supported identification tabs projecting outwardly from one of its edges, means speed to a position beneath the plate carrier frame.

5. In a device of the class described, the com bination of a base including a table for supporting an addressograph plate carrier having a series of identification tabs projecting outwardly from one of its edges, means for clamping the projecting end of one of said tabs and withdrawing the same from said frame, said means comprising a slide bar having a jaw element at one end, a second slide bar having one end pivoted to the corresponding end of the first bar and its other end provided with a jaw member adapted to co-aot with the first jaw member, and a pivoted lever for first moving said jaw member to clamping position to clamp a tab and then to move the jaw members longitudinally of said tab to withdraw the same from its supporting frame. 7

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base including a table for supporting an addressograph plate carrier having a series of identification tabs projecting outwardly from one of its edges, said base having a groove extending longitudinally thereof and laterally of the tab, a jaw member slidably mounted in said groove, a spring for moving the said jaw mem- 5 ber to its inner position of movement, a second jaw member having its outer end pivoted to the outer end of the first jaw member, the inner ends of said jaw members having clamping portions for receiving the extending end of a tab, 10 the upper jaw member having an upwardly extending lug, a handle pivoted in said base having a downwardly extending cam device designed to engage the inner face of said lug whereby the first movement of said lever in one direction will 15 cause the jaw members to be closed, and further movement of said jaw members will cause said cam to engage said lug and the jaw members to be moved outwardly at the same time, causing the tab to be withdrawn from its carrier. 20

CHARLES A. TOWNE. 

